A light emitting diode (LED) lamp utilizes one or more LEDs as a source of illumination. LED lamps provide numerous benefits including, but not limited, increased efficiency and lifespan. The known LED lamps feature a printed circuit board (PCB), having one or more LEDs, which is permanently secured to a heat sink. As such, the PCB (and therefore LEDs) cannot be removed from the heat sink without damaging the connection leads of the PCB, and thereby rendering the entire LED lamp unsuited for its intended purpose. One reason that the PCB was permanently secured to the heat sink is that it was believed to be necessary in order to ensure sufficient heat transfer from the PCB to the heat sink. In other cases, LEDs are mounted permanently directly to a heat sink and leads from the LED soldered permanently to a PCB.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,999 (Stimac et al.), assigned to GELcore, discloses an electronics module (14) releasably attached to a heat sink (22) and a LED module (20) attached to the heat sink (22) with electrical leads arranged in an electrical conduit (40) and a separate lens system (26) held by clips to a surface (24) of the heat sink (22). In such prior art devices, it is known to have the LED module permanently attached such as by soldering, such that once assembled it cannot be non-destructively removed from the heat sink (22).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,332 (Tickner et al.), assigned to Cooper Technologies Company, discloses an integrated LED and optic (with heat sink) that make module connection via a jack to an in-ceiling canister (which conventionally are also known to contain heat-sink features of their own).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,222 (Lakin et al.), assigned to Fasco Industries, Inc., discloses a heat sink and mounting arrangement. With reference to FIG. 11 and the abstract thereof, Lakin discloses an access hole in the side of the conduit box and aligned with a channel that permits a pin to be inserted therethrough to push tabs out of the channel and release the heat sink and PC board from the conduit box.
U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0268447 (Zhang), assigned to PCE Industry, Inc., discloses a LED lamp having screws connecting the LED module 40 to the heat sink 30 (see, for example, FIG. 2).
Other types of lamps include HID lamps as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,562 to Freeman, et al. and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0279308 to Veiga, et al., both of which are assigned to Osram Sylvania Inc, assignee of the instant disclosure.
For a thorough understanding of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following detailed description, including the appended claims, in connection with the above-described drawings. Although the present disclosure is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient. Also, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.